High-power laser systems are being developed for a number of military and commercial applications. Many conventional high-power laser systems use laser pumpheads in which cooling elements are simply clamped to laser gain media. However, this approach typically does not achieve necessary or desired cooling efficiencies and cooling uniformities needed for high-power operation, nor does this approach provide low mounting stresses. Hot spots in a laser gain medium, coupled with mechanical mounting stresses, can result in degradation of laser performance or even fracturing of the laser gain medium.